Sailor’s Creek Battlefield Historical State Park has recently moved one of its two picnic areas to the new visitor center. Two tables are available under the shelter of the side and back porches, while four others are on the lawn. Two of these tables are handicap accessible. The picnic area that was relocated was originally at the Confederate Overlook parking/trail area.
This project was made possible by the Youth Conservation Corps who moved the tables from the old picnic area to the new visitor center. They also repaired the picnic tables to their current condition. Ten female crewmembers and three female supervisors made up this crew who also spent time at Twin Lakes State Park and High Bridge Trail State Park doing various park projects.
Park Manager Chris Calkins is pleased with the new picnic area and the work of the YCC group. “The picnic area was moved not only for the convenience of the visitor center amenities,” stated Calkins, “but because it sat right in the middle of the heaviest combat area of the battle.” He added, “Its location, ‘blood soaked ground,’ was like placing a picnic area at the stone wall at Gettysburg where [General George E.] Pickett’s Charge took place.”
Sailor’s Creek Battlefield Historical State Park and the Hillsman Farm House Museum are on the National Register of Historical Places and listed as a National Historic Landmark.
The beach at Holliday Lake State Park will be closed to swimming Monday through Friday during the weeks of August 23rd through August 27th and August 30th through September 3rd. The beach will open during its normal hours, 10 am to 7 pm, on Saturday, August 28th, Sunday, August 29th, Saturday, September 4th, Sunday, September 5th and Monday, September 6th (Labor Day). The beach will be closed for the season starting Tuesday, September 7th. If you have any questions, please call the park office at (434)248-6308.
Holliday Lake State Park presents the 3rd Annual Bluegrass Music Festival on Saturday, August 28th from 1 – 9 pm. Five local bluegrass bands will perform at the campground amphitheater. Enjoy the sounds of Reed Creek, Sourwood Mountain Band, Neighborhood Strays, Home grown Bluegrass and Allen’s Mill.
Tickets are $10 each and children 6 years and under are free. Refreshments are available for purchase. Bring the whole family and listen to great music while enjoying the outdoors. Seating is limited so bring a lawn chair or blanket. For more information call the park office at 434-248-6308 or click here.
Pocahontas Premieres Summer Concert Series presents Richmond’s home-grown musicians, Page Wilson and the Honky Tonk Experience on Saturday, August 28th at 6 p.m. Page Wilson has been entertaining Richmonders since the 1980’s with his distinctive music rooted in the blues, folk, bluegrass, and country traditions of native Virginia termed "Purebred American Mongrel.” Formed in the spring of 2003, The Honky Tonk Experience brings country classics to life while at the same time performing songs of current artists whose music is true to what country music used to be.
Pocahontas State Park’s Heritage Amphitheater is located on 10301 State Park Road in Chesterfield, Virginia. Advance tickets are $8. Tickets day of show are $10. Kids 12 years and under are free. Parking is $5. Advance ticket holders and season pass holders get free parking. Beer and wine will be available for purchase, courtesy of the River City Blues Society. For directions and more information, call the park office at 796-4255 or click here.
Pocahontas Premieres Summer Concert Series presents Casper on Saturday, August 14th at 6 p.m. A 30-plus year success story in Virginia and up-and-down the East Coast, Casper is all about the FUN! Known as America’s premier party band, Casper has a musical repertoire that covers great dance music from many decades and genres, including Motown, rock, funk, swing and country. Bring the whole family and listen to great music while enjoying the outdoors.
Pocahontas State Park’s Heritage Amphitheater is located on 10301 State Park Road in Chesterfield, Virginia. Advance tickets are $8. Tickets day of show are $10. Kids 12 years and under are free. Parking is $5. Advance ticket holders and season pass holders get free parking. Beer and wine will be available for purchase, courtesy of the River City Blues Society. For directions and more information, call the park office at 796-4255 or click here.
Pocahontas Premieres Summer Concert Series presents Swedish band, G2 Bluegrass Band on Saturday, July 24th at 6 p.m. The five band members, best friends since they met while jamming at a festival in their native Sweden four years ago, have formed the most exciting bluegrass band ever to come out of Europe. With one album under their belts, another in the works, and plans to tour extensively in the United States, G2 is poised to make a mark on the bluegrass world. In 2007 they were named #1 European bluegrass Band. The name G2 stands for generation two. Each member of the band has a father or uncle who plays bluegrass and country music, making them the second generation of Swedish bluegrass musicians. If you want to listen to their music, click here.
Also appearing is East of Afton an up-and-coming bluegrass band from Richmond. The group--which got its name from being a bluegrass band way to the east of the Blue Ridge Mountains, the more traditional bluegrass region of the state--plays traditional and original bluegrass, as well as gospel.
Pocahontas Premieres runs through August with performances from Casper and Page Wilson. Bring the whole family and listen to great music while enjoying the outdoors. Pocahontas State Park’s Heritage Amphitheater is located on 10301 State Park Road in Chesterfield, Virginia. Advance tickets are $8. Tickets day of show are $10. Kids 12 years and under are free. Parking is $5. Advance ticket holders and season pass holders get free parking. Beer and wine will be available for purchase, courtesy of the River City Blues Society. For directions and more information, call the park office at 804-796-4255 or click here.
Looking for things to do this holiday weekend? Come visit Holliday Lake State Park in the heart of Appomattox, Virginia. During the 4th of July weekend, park staff has planned an entire weekend full of outdoor activities for the entire family.
Saturday, July 3rd
Come on a treasure hunt through the park where we’ll use GPS navigators to find hidden treasure. We will go to different landmarks where special boxes have been hidden. GPS units are provided for use during the program. Meet at the Concession Stand at 2 p.m. Cost is FREE.
During a water critter hike you’ll have the opportunity to see small critters found in Holliday Lake. We’ll take a holding tank, some dip nets, a seine and see how many we can catch. Meet at the beach at 3 p.m. Cost is FREE.
Explore a variety of animal furs, bones and artifacts from the area during the Touch of Nature program from 4 to 5 pm. This hands-on activity will get you in TOUCH with your wild side. Cost is FREE.
Learn about how Holliday Lake was made in the 1930s during a night canoe tour from 7 to 9 p.m. The park naturalist will lead an expedition to each of the four creeks that form the lake. Cost is $6 per person. Meet at the boat house.
Sunday, July 4th
Come explore some of the park’s trails during a morning guided nature hike from 9 to 10 a.m. Learn about the diverse wildlife that makes its home at the park. You’ll also learn about the historical and cultural importance of the land. Wear comfortable shoes. Cost is FREE. Meet at the concession stand.
After a day full of fun and sun, why not stay in the campground and enjoy a swim off the beautiful beach of Holliday Lake.
For more information about camping and other amenities at Holliday Lake State Park, visit our web site.
Looking for fun activities to do over the 4th of July weekend? Come visit Twin Lakes State Park for a weekend full of fun and adventure. Park staff has planned a weekend full of activities to please all ages.
Saturday, July 3rd
A guided canoe tour of Prince Edward Lake will take place from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Cost is $5 per person or $4 per person for groups of 4 or more. Meet at the boat ramp at Prince Edward Lake.
Join us to learn how to prospect for gold then stake your claim and try your hand at panning for gold. Meet at the Nature Nook at 2 p.m. Fee for program is $2 per person or $6 per family.
Sunday, July 4th
Take a guided hike around on the lakes in the park. Meet at the Goodwin Lake Trailhead at 10 a.m. Cost is FREE.
Come out and learn the basics of geocaching from 2 to 3 p.m. Become familiar with hand held GPS units through interactive games and navigating through the park to find hidden caches. Cost is $3 per person or $8 per family.
After enjoying a day of fun in the sun, plan to stay in Twin Lakes beautiful campground and swim off the beach of Goodwin Lake. Visit “The Beach" concession that specializes in premium hand-dipped ice cream.
For more information about camping and other amenities at Twin Lakes State Park, visit our web site.
Are you wondering what to do for the 4th of July Weekend? Well wonder no more! Pocahontas State Park is offering outdoor activities for the entire family.
On Saturday morning, experience a morning canoe paddle trip down Swift Creek Lake from 8:30 – 10:30 a.m. Cost is $9 per person and is ideal for kids ages 6 and up. Meet at the boat dock and plan to arrive 15 minutes early to get fitted for life vests and paddles.
Kids will love Toad Abode where they will find out why amphibians are beneficial for our gardens. Program is Saturday from 1 to 2 p.m. Cost is $3 per person and registration is required by calling the park office at 804-796-4255.
Join us for a quiet guided tour on Saturday evening from 7 to 8 p.m. We'll tour Swift Creek Lake by canoe as the sun dips down and the nocturnal animals wake up. Cost is $9 per person and is ideal for kids ages 6 and up. Meet at the boat dock and plan to arrive 15 minutes early to get fitted for life vests and paddles.
After a day full of fun and sun, why not stay in the campground or in one of the park’s unique camp cabins. On Sunday, the entire family will enjoy a day at the Pool and Aquatic Recreation Center with plenty of water features.
For more information about camping and other overnight facilities at Pocahontas State Park, visit our web site.
Pocahontas Premieres Summer Concert Series presents Sterling Riggs on Saturday, July 10th at 6 p.m. Enjoy an evening of rhinestone-studded, hip-swiveling, hunka-burnin-love Elvis entertainment. Chesapeake native Sterling Riggs has performed high-energy shows for 15 years. Riggs and The King’s Court perform Elvis hits from the 50s through the 70s. Also appearing is the Richmond based surf-rock-pop instrumental band, 3rd Wave.
Pocahontas Premieres runs through August with performances from G2Bluegrass Band, Casper and Page Wilson. Bring the whole family and listen to great music while enjoying the outdoors.
Pocahontas State Park’s Heritage Amphitheater is located on 10301 State Park Road in Chesterfield, Virginia. Advance tickets are $8. Tickets day of show are $10. Season pass is $40. Kids 12 years and under are free. Parking is $5. Advance ticket holders and season pass holders get free parking. Beer and wine will be available for purchase, courtesy of the River City Blues Society. For directions and more information, call the park office at 796-4255 or visit our website.
Are you looking for activities to keep the kids busy this summer? The park naturalist at Pocahontas State Park has the perfect solution to every Mom’s dilemma on how to keep the kids occupied during summer break. Explorers Day Camp offers kids to opportunity to discover the many amazing things that are in the park. They’ll learn about plants and animals and how they all live and work together. They’ll go hiking and canoeing, have a campfire and cookout, play games, do crafts and meet new friends. Explorers Day Camp is for children ages 5 to 7 and runs from Monday, June 28th to Friday, July 2nd. Cost is $110 per child. Camp starts at 9:30 a.m. and ends 1:30 p.m. Please call the park office at 804-796-4255 to request a registration packet or visit our website.
Pocahontas Premieres Summer Concert Series presents the Eilen Jewell Band on Saturday, June 26th at 6 p.m. Jewell, Boise-born and Boston-based, quickly distinguished herself as a rising star in the new generation of roots musicians. Her music is much like that of Lucinda Williams, Dusty Springfield and Peggy Lee. Her fusion of rockabilly, sixties twang folk and vintage country swing draws those comparisons quickly. Also appearing is Sandbar, a new tropical trio with an “Island Attitude.”
Pocahontas Premieres runs through August with performances from Sterling Riggs, G2Bluegrass Band and Casper. Bring the whole family and listen to great music while enjoying the outdoors.
Pocahontas State Park’s Heritage Amphitheater is located on 10301 State Park Road in Chesterfield, Virginia. Advance tickets are $8. Tickets day of show are $10. Season pass is $40. Kids 12 years and under are free. Parking is $5. Advance ticket holders and season pass holders get free parking. Beer and wine will be available for purchase, courtesy of the River City Blues Society. For directions and more information, call the park office at 796-4255 or visit our website.
Surrounded by two lakes in the heart of Central Virginia, Twin Lakes State Park is an ideal setting for a variety of lakefront activities. Visitors can enjoy swimming, camping, fishing, biking, canoeing and six miles of hiking trails along the Prince Edward Lake, Goodwin Lake and neighboring trail in Prince Edward-Gallion State Forest.
Well-appointed cabins and lodge, featuring an English Tudor exterior, are furnished with the comforts of home. Three have a view of Prince William Lake. Each cabin features a screened porch with rocking chairs, deck, picnic table, pedestal grill and kitchen.
The park has thirty-four campsites many with electric and water hookups. Each campsite has a fire ring with grill cover and a bathhouse is available.
Goodwin Lake offers a beach with a bathhouse and “The Spot” a 1950s theme snack bar featuring premium hand-dipped ice cream and gift shop. Rowboats and canoes are available for rent year-round.
Nature hikes, canoe trips, stargazing, campfire and children programs are just a few nature and environment programs offered during the summer. During the month of June, park visitors will have the opportunity to learn how to prospect for gold and try their hand at panning for gold. If you’re into stargazing, the Crewe Astronomy Club will be at the park on Saturday, June 19th to offer a program on astronomy.
If you are an outdoor enthusiast, you’ll love Holliday Lake State Park. The park is nestled in the heart of Appomattox-Buckingham State Forest. The scenic 150-acre Holliday Lake is complete with boat launch, fishing pier, boat rentals and swimming beach. A 12-mile loop in the Appomattox-Buckingham State Forest offers exploration for hikers, bicyclers, horseback riders and nature observer.
Thirty campsites are equipped with water and electric hookups. Each site has a grill, lantern post and picnic table. The park has a camping lodge with bunk beds, a refrigerator, a deck, fire ring with cooking grate and a small picnic shelter with two tables. A campground host is available at most times in campground. Swimming and boat launching are free for overnight campers.
The beach at Holliday Lake offers a life guarded beach where the “Critter Hole” play area is a favorite. Beach goers can enjoy a hot shower at the bathhouse and sandwiches, snacks and drinks at the concession operation.
Along with five hiking trails, Holliday Lake offers a self-guided water adventure on the Sunfish Aquatic Trail. Canoe tours, conducted hikes, campfire programs and specialty workshops are just a few nature programs offered on the weekends. During the month of June, park visitors will have the opportunity to explore Holliday Lake during a Canoe Tour that is offered on Thursdays, June 17th and 24th from 5 to 6 p.m. Cost is $6 per paddler and advance registration is required. Or they can take the Owl Call Canoe Tour where they’ll explore the lake at night to call the “Warriors of the Night.” Owl Call Canoe Tours are offered on Saturdays, June 19th and 26th. Cost is $6 per person and advance registration is required.
Pocahontas Premieres Summer Concert Series presents the Robin Rogers Band on Saturday, June 19th at 6 p.m. Rogers, one of the fastest-rising stars on the blues scene, won the 2009 Blues Blast Award for Best Female Artist. She’s an expressive and soulful singer, a powerful blues harp player and an accomplished song writer. Visit her website to learn more. Salted Dawg Blues, a five-piece Virginia based band, opens the concert.
Pocahontas Premieres runs through August with performances from Eilen Jewell, Sterling Riggs and G2Bluegrass Band. Bring the whole family and listen to great music while enjoying the outdoors.
Pocahontas State Park’s Heritage Amphitheater is located on 10301 State Park Road in Chesterfield, Virginia. Advance tickets are $8. Tickets day of show are $10. Season pass is $40. Kids 12 years and under are free. Parking is $5. Advance ticket holders and season pass holders get free parking. Food and beverages are available. For directions and more information, call the park office at 796-4255 or visit the park's website.
On Saturday, June 5, 2010, High Bridge Trail State Park will host the 2nd Annual National Trails Day Celebration in celebration of American Hiking Society’s 18th Annual National Trails Day. The event will be held at Riverfront Park on Main Street in Farmville from 10 a.m. to noon. A Family Fun Walk will start at 9 a.m. at the trail head on Main Street. Trail related organizations will be onsite to provide information about different trail use opportunities.
High Bridge Trail State Park is a 30 mile multi-use trail that runs through three counties and five towns in Central Virginia. Its centerpiece is the majestic High Bridge, which is more than 2,400 feet long and 160 feet above the Appomattox River.
Since 1993, NTD has inspired thousands of people to enjoy trails on the same day nationwide, taking part in hikes, bike and horse rides, trail maintenance and other activities.
The Hillsman Farm House Museum located at Sailor’s Creek Historical State Park will be open during the summer starting Wednesday, June 2nd. The house will be open for free tours on Wednesdays – Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and on Sundays from noon to 5 p.m. until Sunday, August 29th.
During the month of June two programs will be offered by park staff. On Saturday, June 5th the park chief ranger will give an informative hike on the Battle of Sailor’s Creek along the Confederate Overlook Trail from 3 to 4:30 p.m. On Saturday, June 19th park staff will host the Sailor’s Creek Jr. Ranger program from 1 to 4 p.m. To earn a Jr. Ranger Patch, children ages 7 – 11 will make Civil War crafts, eat food from the era and play games. A small fee applies to the Jr. Ranger program.
For more information on the Hillsman House Museum and programs available in June, please call the park office at 804-561-7510.
Located only 20 minutes from downtown Richmond, Pocahontas State Park is the largest park in the system with over 7,900 acres. In the heart of two beautiful campgrounds, Pocahontas offers six “camp cabins.”
These cabins house no more than four people and include two sets of bunk-beds with mattresses, a table for four, porch, and ceiling fan. For our cabin guests’ outside enjoyment there is a picnic table, fire ring, water spigot and lantern post at each cabin. Cabin guest use the campground bathhouse for bathroom and showers. A two night
minimum stay is required.
While staying at the park, cabin guest can enjoy the two lakes that provide unique boating and fishing opportunities, Swift Creek Lake has canoe rentals during the summer and has a public boat launch.
Also new to Pocahontas are the Lakeview and Lakeview II mountain bike trails that provide users with a natural and scenic mountain bike experience as they wind through the woods along Swift Creek Lake. Beaver Lake trail is listed as a birding and wildlife trail with the Virginia Department of Game & Inland Fisheries and several species of birds including Bald Eagles can frequently be seen in the area.
The Richmond Symphony’s Youth Orchestras will perform on Sunday, May 23rd at 7 p.m. at the Heritage Amphitheatre at Pocahontas State Park. Admission to the concert is FREE.
The Richmond Symphony's flagship educational program consists of four youth orchestras providing beginning to advanced musical training. As the premiere orchestral training program of central Virginia, students participate in weekly rehearsals, coachings and master classes by Richmond Symphony musicians, chamber music performances, mentoring and other musical and social activities.
A $5 parking fee applies. Food and beverages will be available. For more information, call the park office at 804-796-4255 or visit www.virginiastateparks.gov. The concert is sponsored by Chesterfield County Parks and Recreation. Pocahontas State Park hosts a summer concert series, Pocahontas Premieres, that begins June 19th. Entertainers such as Robin Rogers, Casper, Sterling Riggs and Eilen Jewell will perfrom at the outdoor amphitheater.
Join us for a celebration of Armed Forces Day with a late afternoon performance by the 380th United States Army Reserve Band on Saturday, May 15th at 6 p.m. at the Heritage Amphitheater. Admission is FREE. A $5 parking fee applies. Food and beverages are available.
The 380th United States Army Reserve Band is stationed in Richmond and provides musical support for both military functions and community events by performing as a concert band, marching band, and jazz band. The band also has several specialized small ensembles. It is also an integral part of the 99th Regional Command.
This concert is the kick-off event for the Pocahontas Premieres summer concert series. Eight concerts are scheduled for this summer. The next concert is scheduled for Sunday, May 23rd at 7 p.m. at the amphitheatre starring the Richmond Symphony Youth Orchestra.
Season passes for the summer concert series are $40, advance tickets are $8, day of show tickets are $10 and kids 12 and under are free. Season pass and advance ticket holders get free parking day of show. The Heritage Amphitheater is located at Pocahontas State Park on 10301 State Park Road in Chesterfield County.
Powered by Compendium Blogware